I remember hearing “the Catholic Church is like the Titanic: it can take forever to change course”. Or it takes the church 100 years to live into any meaningful change [referring to the changes made at Vatican II in the 1960s].
In that context, it feels momentous to be living during a time when the Pope & the Church might make a change that could be experienced by 1 billion+ Catholics over the course of the next few decades: Hearing women Preach from the altar as a regular occurrence — and not an exception to the rule.
The news comes from this episode of “Inside the Vatican” a podcast production of America Media
You can listen to it at time stamp starting around 23:00 and until about 29:00.
Here’s my synopsis:
Pope Francis is making clear: Women have many roles to be in the church… including in decision-making positions.
The main speaker is Gerry O’Connell, America’s Vatican correspondent, talking about Pope Francis
He’s gotten a ‘Bee in his bonnet’ — he wants to bring about a significant shift in how the Church gives roles to women.
“Discussions that took place at the synod… [around women & the diaconate]… are actually taking place at the highest levels of the Vatican… in these senior meetings between Cardinals and the Pope. That he is seeking this kind of advice [from Sr. Linda & Jo Bailey Wells, an Anglican bishop] really bodes well for the future of this question.”
Earlier on in the conversation, Gerry breaks down the main theological issue that has been on Pope Francis’ mind:
“The reason why Pope Francis has, up until now, been against the ordination of women, is based on this understanding — … the interpretation given by the famous theologian von Balthasar who spoke about the Petrine dimension of the Church and the Marian dimension. Which Pope Francis… used that Marian dimension was for the role of women, but it did not include the role of Holy Orders.”
Sr. Linda “is challenging this position…[of von Balthasar & Pope Francis]”
Sr. Linda says ”that, in reality, Men and Women can have both dimensions…”
What’s interesting is that Pope Francis brought Sr. Linda — a leading theologian on this issue — to meet with him and his top Cardinal Advisors in December 2023, and then again in February 2024… and possibly might invite her back again in the future.
Sr. Linda says the Pope is open to the establishment of the diaconate for women
Of the issues that came up during the Synod on Synodality’s gathering this past October 2023, the issue of women and the diaconate was the only one characterized as “Urgent”.
With the Synod on Synodality having it’s second gathering this October 2024, it feels like Pope Francis is taking that call to heart.
